NLRP6^-/- mice are resistant to pulmonary <i>S</i>. <i>aureus</i> infection.

(A) WT, NLRP6 KO, and ASC KO mice (N = 13-15/group) were infected intratracheally with a lethal inoculum of S. aureus (USA 300) (2X108 CFU/mouse) and survival was then observed for 10 days. WT and NLRP6 KO mice (N = 5-8/group) were infected intratracheally with a sublethal inoculum of S. aureus (5 X 107 CFU/mouse) and then were euthanized 12 or 24 h post-infection to quantitate the bacterial burden in (B) lungs, (C) BALF, and (D) liver. Total protein in BALF was measured (E). WT and KO mice (N = 6-8/group) were infected intratracheally with 5X107 CFU/mouse of S. aureus (MSSA strain). Twenty-four-hours post-infection, the bacterial burden was measured in lungs (F) and BALF (G). WT and KO mice (N = 5/group) were co-housed for 4 weeks and infected with a sublethal dose of S. aureus. Mice were euthanized at 24 hours post-infection to estimate bacterial burden in the lungs (H) and BALF (I). Bone marrow chimeras were generated as described in the methods (N = 6-8/group) and then were infected with a sublethal dose of S. aureus. At 24-hours post-infection, mice were euthanized to estimate bacterial burden in the lungs (J) and BALF (K). *, p<0.05, **, p<0.01, and *** p<0.001.